Paper Lanterns
by Seinakyou
Summary: Miroku doesn't shine, not in the way his friends do. But he isn't meant to be a star: he's meant to drift downriver, lighting up the simplest of paths. \\#06. Nostalgic: "It is something, it is everything, it is the knowledege that he is alone."\\
1. Fairytale

**ANI: This is a part of the iy_no_kakera community on LiveJournal. Check it out. It's pretty awesome ;D**

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><p><strong>Title:<strong> Fairytale  
><strong>Author:<strong> seinakyou  
><strong>Theme:<strong> Set #1, Theme #59, Ghost  
><strong>Genre(s):<strong>  
><strong>Pairings:<strong> Miroku/Sango, Miroku/Kagome, Miroku/Inuyasha, Miroku/Kikyo, Miroku/Sesshomaru… etc.  
><strong>Word Count:<strong>  
><strong>Rating:<strong> PG-13  
><strong>Summary:<strong> When you put it in another perspective, life becomes so simple. Miroku wonders, then, how it all went so wrong.

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><p>Miroku feels, more often than not, lost.<p>

He simply does not know what he is doing, and sometimes that scares him more than anything.

o.O.o

"Miroku, tell me a story!"

"Shippo, it's late."

"Pleeeeeease, just one."

"…Fine.

"Once upon a time, there was a boy and his father. Neither were very good people, but they did the best they could."

o.O.o

At first, it didn't really sink in. He was seven, and he didn't yet know the stench of war or plague or famine, or even death.

Reflecting back, what a simple child he was.

He just looked at his unmarred right hand with a sort of wonder, and thought that he might be god.

o.O.o

"The boy lived with his father, and they were as happy as they could be.

"Sometimes, the boy wondered where his grandparents were, but he didn't ever think to ask. He just thought that they had died, like so many do in old age."

o.O.o

"Papa!" he shrieked, the wind whipping the tears from his eyes. "Papa! Don't go!"

The priest holding him fought to keep his grip as the child tried to escape. He struggled, feebly, before collapsing and looking up at the priest.

"Why?" The child asked, "Where's he going?" his voice suddenly cracked, as he looked feverishly at the ground. "Why won't he answer me?" He yelled, cringing into the priest's grip.

Silence. The man had no response for the child.

He still didn't really get what was happening, but was starting to. He stared at his father, eyes bone dry but the tears still welling up, and suddenly felt despair.

This, he thought, this is death.

This is the death of everything I know and ever will know.

And as the wind whips through his hair, he realizes that he can't see his father anymore. He thinks he sees something, and for a second his mind goes black.

o.O.o

"His father, you see, passed away, and didn't leave anyone to care for him. This child, he was completely alone."

o.O.o

He wakes up what he guesses is an hour later, only because the sun is shining right in his eyes. Reaching to shut out the sunlight, the child cries out in sudden agony, clenching his burning hand to his chest.

He looks around but recognizes nothing. There is nothing. Standing up, wincing, the child moves towards what seems to be a crater. As he hobbles towards it, he trips over something and lands flat on his face. Rolling over, he sees what he tripped over, and wants to cry. He thinks it's a grave, but his father's name is on it, so it can't be.

He gets up again, the picture of determination, and moves again towards the centre of the crater. He's still not sure why his hand hurts, though.

He finally gets to the edge, and peers into the hole. Looking down, he sees a strand of old, worn out prayer beads.

Horror and realization dawn on him in the exact same moment. If he puts his ear close enough to his right hand, he can hear a high pitched keening, like the whistling of wind.

o.O.o

"What happened to the boy, Miroku?"

"He… walked. He found religion along the way, so he kept walking."

o.O.o

The boy lies in the hole, vision clouded, and he wonders what exactly happened to the priest holding on to him.

As he slowly understands, he begins to laugh, a terrifying sounds. He now has religion inside of him.

o.O.o

"He fell in love a few times, but once they found out about his past, they all left him."

o.O.o

The waif of a girl stands at the entrance to his room. He's not sure why, it was only about a week ago he slept with her, she shouldn't she back for more already.

Upon seeing his naked chest, the girl blushes beet red, and stammers "Ah… M-Miroku-sama, I…" She trails off seeing the girl lying in his bed, eyes half lidded. The girl in his bed smirks slowly, before purring "Come back to bed, won't you, Miroku-sama?"

He turns his eyes back the girl, who's now trembling, though whether with sadness or rage he doesn't know.

"I have to go." She says abruptly, and as she turns to leave, tears stain the floor.

He shrugs, and tries to remember whether she was a virgin.

o.O.o

"He had a difficult life, but his religion stayed with him and gave him strength."

o.O.o

Again the boy walked along a road with no end in sight, feeling as if the journey would never end.

"Oi, this sucks." He griped, crouching on the road and holding his head in his hands. "Where am I going to get food?"

He groans and look out from under his left arm to a house on the side of the road. He sees a young servant running out of the building, and the boys finds himself being asked in rapid, blurred words if he was a priest, because there was a ghost in the building, and if he was a priest please help them.

Of course he consented, he was a virtuous man. A virtuous man who had a need for food and shelter.

o.O.o

"He always helped those in need, even those who didn't know that they needed help."

o.O.o

"Ma'am, I think your house in being haunted. May I exorcise it for you?"

"Oh no, it's no problem."

"Oh, I couldn't possibly… well, if you insist, I could stay for one night."

"Please, it's not necessary to throw a feast for me…"

"Sorry. I'm not interested in marriage."

"I do think, however that you daughter is possessed by a malevolent demon. Do I have your permission to try to help the poor girl?"

"Fabulous! I'll do my best to make sure she feels perfectly well by morning. Please don't enter the room, it may be dangerous, and I can only contain the demon so far."

"…Ignore any yelling, as well, sometimes negotiation goes ugly."

o.O.o

"Somewhere along the way, he lost his identity."

o.O.o

"Oh god, please no, please no…"

He stares in horror at the hole in his hand, which he now realizes must always be sealed.

That poor man.

o.O.o

"So he went back to his roots."

o.O.o

He wanders along a road, not sure where it leads him. He walks a lonely road, he thinks, but that doesn't bother him. He doesn't need much. He just needs to know that he will continue, that he will make his mother, his father's love, proud.

Wait.

He could have cried, if only he knew how to.

What an illusion, he thinks, and goes off to find another woman to lie to, to tell that he loves her, to bear him a child so that maybe one day his son will be able finish this, when he knows he can't won't, will never be able to finish it himself.

A tear drips onto the hem of his robe.

He grips his staff a little tighter and walks forward, back straight even though it feels like his soul is dying.

o.O.o

"He found nothing there, so he moved on and found a new place to reside."

o.O.o

He walks through this town. He doesn't know its name, why should he bother? It'll just be another town, another place to pass through, and another land to rob of innocence.

He doesn't care about this place. No one cares.

o.O.o

"But one day, he met a princess."

o.O.o

The cold eyes stare through him, and he tries not to flinch beneath their gaze.

"This Sesshoumaru is curious as to why you follow him, human."

He licks his lips and opens his mouth to answer.

"Do not lie to me, human, I will know." He suddenly finds a sword at his neck.

He blanches, and in a sudden burst of stupidity blurts out the first thing that comes to mind.

"Will you bear my child?" he asks, before his eyes widen in horror and he recoils. "I… I mean."

He is pinned with the foulest glare yet, before the man snarls and turns away.

"You're not even worth killing." He states, before taking a step and disappearing into the dark woods.

o.O.o

"However, she was a cold, cruel person, and though he was very much in love with her,"

o.O.o

"Ah-h, Sesshoumaru-sama!"

"Dispense of the formalities, human."

"SESSHOUMARU!"

o.O.o

"She would not, could not love him, so he moved on."

o.O.o

As the sky begins to turn gray with dawn, he slips on the purple robe he will someday be famous for, and stalks silently out the door, all the while aware of the gaze pinned on him by the male who regards him with calculating eyes.

"Nothing changes from this, monk."

He pauses in the doorway, before turning around and shooting him a sad smile.

"Of course."

o.O.o

"Then, one day, he met another girl. His heart was still on the mend from his last encounter, and he needed more security."

o.O.o

"Your hair is rather amazing." He murmurs, bringing a lock of it up to his lips. "Like fire."

Ayame blushes a bright red, and snatches the hair back from him. "Shut up. I'm engaged, you know." She protests feebly.

"I won't tell if you won't."

o.O.o

"But she was set to be married, so he moved on."

"…Miroku, why does this man never get love?"

"At that time, the man didn't know what he wanted, Shippo. But once he found what he was searching for, he fell in love. Deeply, truly in love, with the hope of it being returned."

o.O.o

He looks at this rag tag group with poorly concealed shock. A half demon, a fox demon, and a human girl wearing the strangest clothing he's ever seen.

But they extend a hand towards him, and ask him to join them on their journey, and he gladly accepts.

He wonders what they want of him, and prepares for the worst.

o.O.o

"He found a family, a family he could be with for absolutely no reason other than that they wanted his company."

o.O.o

He's not a whore, he really isn't.

But he still can't help wondering which one is eventually going to require… services from him. He has no illusions: he knows he is attractive, he knows he is fit, he knows that when others see him, they want him to lay with them.

Will it be the white-haired hanyou, with beautiful eyes and coarse personality?

Will it be the fiery demon slayer who claims to hate him and enjoys abusing him?

Will it even be the strange young girl who honestly seems to want him to be happy?

He knows it isn't the third, he knows that she doesn't desire him, and for the first time, he may be jealous.

o.O.o

"But his love, she was desperately in love with another man. He was crushed, and went back to his search for love."

o.O.o

"Keh, monk, what the hell do you want?"

"Inuyasha… have you ever been with a man?"

A sword, suddenly at his neck. "What the _hell_ are you suggesting, idiot?"

He leans in and kisses the man. "My offer will always stand."

o.O.o

"But it always came back to his one true love."

o.O.o

"Miroku-sama~ Would you like some water?" She smiles sweetly and leans down, and he wishes that she wasn't so pure.

He knows if she wasn't, he would've already done something. But she is an angel – and no matter what, he won't taint her like that.

o.O.o

"Eventually, though, he found himself ensnared by another woman. She was his love's equal, her twin, even, but he was tormented by the fact that he wasn't with his love."

o.O.o

Kikyo stares at him impassively, before asking: "Monk. You seek my company?"

Miroku looks at her and thinks maybe, he can pretend she's someone else. "Yes, I believe I do."

She continues to stare with eyes that seem to see through his very soul. "You know this will hurt him, and hurt her, the stupid girl."

He can only nod. "Yes, I believe it will."

She lets a smile flicker across her lips. "Come then, monk." She says, opening her arms. "We have both been too long without the touch of another."

o.O.o

"Why would he do that, Miroku? I thought you were always supposed to be faithful to the one you love?"

"Well, you are, Shippo. But he didn't know this, he didn't even really know what love was. He just though it was normal, so he tried to move on."

o.O.o

"Will you marry me?"

Sango gaped at him, before turning bright red. She nodded silently.

He tried to ignore the aching feeling that was beginning to strangle his heart. He didn't need love. He couldn't afford love, not when he was so very cursed.

So even though she was nothing like his love, he could still smile at he and tell her that her loved her, because honestly, in a way he did.

o.O.o

"He moved on. He moved on too well, and his love found someone else."

o.O.o

He stares, heartbroken at the two of them standing there looking so in love. He feels his pregnant fiancée sidle up beside him and murmur "Hey, monk. What's the matter?" as she squeezes his hand.

Holding down the sob that threatens to break forth, he looks at her with a careful mask and replies "Nothing at all!"

He's gone too far to be able to look back.

o.O.o

"But eventually they both realize that the ones they were with just weren't good enough, that they need more than just security and complacency. So one night, they meet up underneath a cherry tree and share a beautiful, wonderful kiss, and in the morning, after they've returned to their spouses, they break the news. Their partners aren't happy, of course, but they've always known something wasn't right between them, so they let them go. The boy and his love eventually marry, and they all live happily ever after."

o.O.o

Shippo beams at him. "That was a good story, Miroku. Thanks so much!" He scampers away, paws scrabbling against the rocky ground.

Miroku turns his face away, and his gaze catches Inuyasha and Kagome together by the fire, cuddled up together and bantering playfully.

"Yes," he whispers, "A great story," and he turns away from them, wondering when he became so invisible again.

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><p><strong>ANII: Hurp durp. How depressing. Review? Please~<strong>


	2. Tanabata

**ANI: Yeah, I'm not sure where this came from, really. But I'm kind of proud of it, since it's not ramble-y like the last one... ah well. iy_no_kakera. Check it out!**

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><p><strong>Title:<strong> Tanabata  
><strong>Author:<strong> seinakyou  
><strong>Theme:<strong> Set #1, Theme #16, Light  
><strong>Genre(s):<strong> Angst, Humour, Friendship  
>Character: Miroku<br>**Pairings:** Implied Inuyasha/Kagome  
><strong>Word Count:<strong> 318  
><strong>Rating:<strong> K+  
><strong>Summary: <strong>When Orihime and Hikoboshi meet, all the other stars in the sky pale in comparison.

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><p>They sing her praises to the heavens around her: Orihime, Weaver Princess, saviour to us all. Orihime, Weaver Princess, beauty of the heavens. Orihime, Weaver Princess, she who we love, she who we protect. Orihime: our light, our love, our poor forlorn princess.<p>

No one sings her praises more than he, though, her bodyguard. He who stands by her side, always. He who sings for her, makes her laugh, always. Always. Always and forever, he swears to her reverently and means it all the time and she laughs and tells him he's sweet.

Orihime just doesn't love him, not like that.

No, he thinks bitterly, no she loves Hikoboshi: Hikoboshi, who saved his life, Hikoboshi who let him stay by her side, that man who he wishes he could be and knows he could never replace even if something were to go wrong.

And somehow he knows this isn't right.

He gets _one_ night with her, one fancy free evening out of 365, and yet he has her, her undying devotion and her love. He's got her for every other day, and yet that man is always on her mind.

Orihime and Hikoboshi. A match made in heaven. A match made for the stars, for the moon, for the open sky, for the running river and the singing cicadas. A match made so perfectly that he knows he'll never fit in between them, the two brilliant stars. He's nameless, he's so far away he can't even be seen from earth, so completely unimportant that he never gets a name.

Well, not never.

With Orihime and Hikoboshi he is the nameless protector.

With Altair and Vega he stands behind them, grinning all the while.

Miroku glances at his companions, and then back into his bottle.

At least, he thinks wryly, I have a name this time, and then he downs the rest of the bottle in one, spectacular gulp.

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><p><strong>ANII: Hey guys! It's not angst! I didn't know I could... wait. Dammit, it <em>is<em> angst. Oh, well. Next time, I'll really try.**

**Also, I need to write something Miroku-centric soon, instead of my shipper's heart showing through. Must... claim... pairing... next time :D**

**Will you review if I ask nicely? And say that the first review I get fro this chooses next time's topic?**


	3. Smile

**ANI: Yeah, no idea where this came form either. It just kind of happened. My biggest thanks ever to ShadowNala, who honestly inspired me and has the right to tell me what to do with an entire chapter! This can be yours too, if you review~**

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><p><strong>Title:<strong> Smile  
><strong>Author:<strong> seinakyou  
><strong>Theme:<strong> Set #1, Theme #23, Armour  
><strong>Genre(s): <strong>Friendship, General  
><strong>Characters:<strong> Miroku (obviously), Rin, Sesshoumaru  
><strong>Word Count:<strong> 476  
><strong>Rating:<strong> G/K/Suitable for all ages  
><strong>Summary:<strong> He doesn't have all that much armour, really.

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><p><em>Rin is very lucky<em>, Miroku reminds himself as the girl in questions braids his hair with flowers, _To have a…_ he sneaks a glance over at the stoic taiyouki who stands guarding his charge, daring him to try something, anything with narrowed yellow eyes,_ a __very__ capable guardian whom she absolutely adores._

He then sighs, trying to maintain some dignity by raising his head before Rin squawks and tugs on his hair sharply, pulling him back down to where she can easily reach the top of his head. _So why, then_, he muses as he nurses his arching scalp, _is she playing with me?_

His mind begins to wander as the child begins to undo all of the braids she's made and take out the flowers. He tries to remember what he should be doing – wasn't he looking for food, or something? – but comes up short. A little voice reminds him, _You should be playing third wheel to every interaction in your little dream group, the one that doesn't notice you've been gone for nearly and hour._

He viciously tells it to shut up and lets Rin keep playing with his hair. She suddenly stops with a little cry, and his hands instantly come up to the back of his head. _Oh no._

"Miroku-sama!" she exclaims, eyes bright, "I made something for you!" She holds something in her outstretched hands, and her glee is almost tangible.

However, he cannot for the life of him identify what exactly she has made him.

He still smiles gratefully. "Thank you, Rin-chan. It's lovely."

She grins impishly and falls back in the grass, causing her protector to grumble in alarm. "It's perfect for Miroku-sama, you see." She says seriously. "Because, Otori-chan there is noble, and pretty, and heroic too, but he's kind of alone amongst all the other birdies." She beams up at him, face framed by white wildflowers. "Just like Miroku-sama!"

He is torn between amusement, gratitude and melancholy. But Rin leaps up from her place in the grass and lets out a cry of delight.

"Look! Sesshoumaru-sama, Miroku-sama! Herons!" She proceeds to point to the sky, and he looks up in time to see the elegant birds framed by the sun as they fly overhead.

"Hn." Remarks the silver-haired demon, before turning around sharply and walking away. "Rin," He says blandly, "we're leaving."

She scrambles over a boulder or two to regain her place at his side. "Yes, Sesshoumaru-sama!" She then turns to Miroku, and cups her hands around her mouth. "Bye, Miroku-sama! Take care of Otori-chan!"

He gives her a little wave, and then she hops onto Ah-Un and they're off.

And then he's standing alone in a little field in the middle of nowhere with braids in his hair, a crown of flowers and holding a tiny heron made out of twigs.

He can't help but smile.

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><p><strong>ANII: It's not angst this time! Yeah! Go me! Tell me what you think, please? I should be more professional in these things. Like forthright. Who is my hero. Check 'er out, people, she's got the best stuff I've ever read!<strong>

**Yeah, so, till next time!**


	4. Ballistics 1

**ANI: Inspired by some wonderful quotes I have found over the years. Also a plot writing test, so please, I would really, really appreciate feedback on this one. Fun to write, I must say :D Once again, thanks to ShadowNala, who remains my most faithful (and only) reviewer! She's awesome!**

**May 20th: Thank you anonymous reviewer, too! I can't reply to you, but you're awesome!  
><strong>

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><p><strong><strong>Title:<strong> **Ballistics (Part One)**  
><strong>Author:<strong> **seinakyou**  
><strong>Theme:<strong> **Set #1, Theme #7, Partner**  
><strong>Genre(s): <strong>**Humour, General, Romance, Friendship**  
><strong>Pairings:<strong> **Inuyasha/Miroku, Inuyasha/Kikyo**  
><strong>Characters:<strong> **Miroku, Inuyasha, Kikyo, Other**  
><strong>Word Count:<strong> **1,597**  
><strong>Rating:<strong> **PG-13. Just in case.**  
><strong>Summary:<strong> **AU. "Look, just because I'm gay doesn't mean I'm all like rainbows and virgins and hearts and shit!"**  
><strong>

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><p>Miroku has to admit, this may honestly be the strangest thing he's ever experienced.<p>

It's not that fact that one of his best friends just confessed that he _maybe, just maybe like guys a tiny bit too_, because Miroku doesn't really care and kind of always suspected it anyways, I mean did you see his hair? It's like the man uses a bottle of conditioner a day, which he's actually been snarkily informed by said man that it only happens on special occasions, thank you very much and…

Off topic. Anyways. Miroku's thinking this is going to go down in the yearbook as most memorable day in high school because honestly, though he was pretty sure that he and his best friend both were gay, he had definitely _not_ expected that Inuyasha's way of outing himself would be to confess his love and ask Miroku to go out with him, over a loudspeaker, at their homecoming game.

_Definitely_ not expected that.

It does amuse him to note that Inuyasha's girlfriend seems to be in utter shock, probably more over the fact that she just got publicly and humiliatingly dumped in front of the _entire_ school (or at least anyone who matters) than that her boyfriend, quarterback and school favourite and dating the captain of the cheerleading team was gay.

That's just icing on the cake for Miroku, though, because this is better than anything he could've imagined.

He's not totally enjoying everyone staring at him, but he knows it's worth it by the look on Inuyasha's face as he yells at the top of his lungs "Yes!"

* * *

><p>Miroku has to admit, this may honestly be the most awkward thing he's ever experienced.<p>

They win the game, of course. I mean, the quarterback is absolutely euphoric and everyone is happy for him, even his slightly bitter but also slightly placated girlfriend.

I'm pretty sure he told her that he knew he was gay because he just couldn't feel anything for _her_, and that had to mean something. She's a nice girl, truly, underneath the cold and the hurt and even though they kind of messed up when they got pitted against each other by a jealous admirer of Kikyo's they still worked together really well after that and it's kind of a shame they couldn't stay together but then if they had, well they'd never be here in this…

_Decidedly awkward_ situation.

They're standing alone in the tunnel that leads into the stadium, and Inuyasha's changed by now and is still red from some of the lewd comments his teammates put out there, and they're standing about three feet away from each other.

It's very awkward.

It's not awkward because he just confessed his love for him, and it's _definitely_ not awkward because Miroku returns them.

Nope. Definitely not.

At all. Even a little. Or even a lot.

If that was normal, if it was all a joke, Miroku would know how to act. He'd say how he's always known he's been irresistible, and Inuyasha would snort and hit him over the head and tell him to rein in his ego, please, because the size of it is truly horrifying. Exhibit A: Last week.

If it was a girl, Miroku would be kind and charming and pleasant and he'd find a way out of it in such a way that the girl would walk away thinking it was her idea and they'd still be friends. Exhibit B: Shima.

But this… Miroku is floored, and for once can't find the right words. Even if could, he thinks bemusedly, they'd probably still fall short, because this is everything he never thought would happen and was getting pretty good at denying.

Inuyasha coughs awkwardly, so Miroku decides to try to break the silence.

"Um…" he starts, before deciding to play it safe. "I've always known I'm irresistible?" He hadn't meant it to come out as a question, but dammit it did and now it's even more awkward as Inuyasha shuffle his feet and mutter a quick

"Key." Before turning away, blushing.

Okay. This was not going as planned. He's _so _off script now, and Miroku scrambling for a way to get it back when Inuyasha suddenly speaks.

"Hey, you know how in that diving competition you had a few weeks ago you were kind of scared-" Miroku yelps indignantly, but Inuyasha continues "because you had never been in any big scale competition before?"

Miroku nods wordlessly, still a little sulky _because he had __not__ been afraid_ and because he wasn't tally sure where he was going with this.

"Yeah, so, then I did one of those epic 'pump up the team' speeches for you, and told you to 'jump right in and take the plunge' without realizing how corny that was in the situation, remember?"

Miroku chuckles a little, but mostly out of politeness because he's still a little awkward now that the crowd's not staring at him anymore and it's just them.

Inuyasha takes a deep breath, and then plods on forward. "Well, yeah, and then you laughed like an idiot and said that I was an idiot but you kicked ass because you weren't nervous anymore."

He takes a small step forward, and Miroku can read the insecurities in his eyes. "So…" he begins, a little timidly, "I'm taking the plunge."

Next thing Miroku knows, his lips are up against Inuyasha's, who tastes better than he thought he would (a little like smoke and wood but mostly like some kind of spice he can't name) and all he can really think is _wow_.

He doesn't know exactly when the kiss ends, or when it started or even how long it was. But when Inuyasha pulls away, hesitation in his eyes and an apology ready to be delivered, Miroku raises a hand to his mouth.

"You're right;" he begins amicably, "that _was_ corny." He smiles, a real smile. "Idiot."

Inuyasha laughs a little, but it's cut off by Miroku's lips firmly retaking their previous location.

_This_, he thinks blissfully,_ this is _so_ not awkward anymore,_ before he leans hungrily in and finally, finally runs his hands through the hair he's had secret fantasies about.

* * *

><p><em>Inuyasha looks so confused<em>; Miroku thinks wickedly,_ it's kind of cute._

He sashays over to his direction, before giving him a sultry pout. "Hey," he practically purrs, "Won't you come in? It nice and…" his lips brush Inuyasha's jaw line, "_warm_ in here." He states, putting every ounce of innuendo he's ever used into that one word.

Unsurprisingly, Inuyasha pushes him off and furiously wipes his jaw with his sleeve. "What the, hell, idiot?" he yelps, half disgusted and half curious. "Why the _hell_ are you wearing…" he examines his sleeve, "…lipstick?"

Miroku clasps his hands together like a schoolgirl, and looks up at him through long eyelashes. Inuyasha shifts his weight from one foot to the other, obviously uncomfortable.

"Well, it's for our class's festival participation, of course!" Inuyasha sends him a flat look. "I'm serious!" he whines, "They thought I'd look pretty, so they dressed me up in girl's clothing!"

The flat look continues, before Inuyasha looks away. "Your class," he says matter-of-factly, "is absolutely completely gay."

"So are you." Miroku returns easily, before pulling him into the class. "Ladies!"" he sings, delighted when they all look up, "He's here!" He exclaims cheerfully, before surrendering him to the masses.

Inuyasha suddenly finds himself surrounded by gushing girls, saying that he's actually very pretty and that Miroku's lucky to have him and that they're so happy Miroku finally got together with him because he's been moaning over him all year.

The last one startles him a little, and he raises an eyebrow in Miroku's direction, who coughs nervously, a blush painting his face.

"Right, then," he ushers the girls back to their posts, "back to work, we've still got a lot to do!" He giggles despite himself, and then slaps a hand over his mouth in horror.

Inuyasha saunters over to him, a smug look on his face. "So," he begins, relishing the moment, "you've been pining after me for the whole year."

Miroku sends him an entirely ineffectual death glare. "No, I have not been _pining_," he sniffs daintily, trying to regain his dignity, "I have been _plotting_."

Inuyasha leans back and laughs, the sound rumbling from deep in his chest.

"Right, right." He agrees amicably. "Sure. Whatever." He leans into him, pinning Miroku to the wall conveniently behind him and resting his forearm next to his head. "The point is," he says huskily, eyes glinting with predatory light, "you've been thinking about me _all_ year."

Miroku meets his challenge. "I've been waiting to do this for a long time." He breathes as he loops his arms around Inuyasha's neck, regardless of their heedful audience. He leans in very slowly, making their noses meet and their eyes stare straight in. "I've always wanted…" he exhales, "to do…" he leans in a little closer, "this." He finishes perkily, planting a sloppy kiss right on his cheek, before slipping out of his protective partner's hold and out the door.

Inuyasha snorts in dissatisfaction, leaning his head against the glass window leading into the hallway. Almost instantly, he spies his reflection in the glass and starts momentarily, before narrowing his eyes. "Miroku," he growls, the lipstick stain on his cheek _very _obvious, "you are so dead!" He practically sprints down the hallway, and the people still in the classroom sigh a little in disappointment, put away their camera phones and grudgingly get back to work.

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><p><strong>ANII: Yes, the (Part One) does mean it may be continued. Don't like it? Then tell me. Anyways... it was too tempting. I couldn't resist. First time writing slash in full! It was a good exercise, I must say. Plus... it was fun.  
><strong>

**'Till next time!**


	5. Wish Upon A World

**ANI: Yeah, I got back to this one. I'm proud, first time I've ever gotten to five chapters. That's a little sad, actually.  
><strong>

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><p><strong>Title:<strong> Wish Upon A World  
><strong>Author:<strong> seinakyou  
><strong>Theme:<strong> Set #1, Theme # 75 - Writing  
><strong>Genre(s):<strong> Friendship, General  
>Characters: Miroku, Kagome, Inuyasha, Shippo, etc…<br>**Pairings:** None  
><strong>Word Count:<strong> 597  
><strong>Rating:<strong> K  
><strong>Summary:<strong> Miroku knows what a wish is, in theory, but he's not sure how to make one.

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><p>Kagome came through the well one day bearing pink paper and smelling like camellias. He's not sure why he noticed, but he supposes it's because it's so far from what she normally smells like. She grins at him as he helps her out of the well, because Inuyasha's off sulking somewhere, sorry he's being a jerk again.<p>

She responds, saying it's quite alright, before she starts whistling very loudly. He wonders what she's doing momentarily, but he didn't even notice that Inuyasha was in the tree before he jumped down, griping at her for being so damn loud, woman, she'll wake up some demon from miles away like that.

Miroku stands there nonplussed, because how could she tell when he couldn't but he supposes it's because she just knows things, and then she presents the pink paper to Inuyasha and he tucks his arms in his sleeves and decides to see what the deal is with the obnoxiously shaded stuff.

She grins widely upon presenting it to the both of them, explaining quickly how you write a wish on it, then make it into a boat and it'll definitely come true as it floats down the river to be carried to the goddess of water.

Inuyasha stares at her blankly, before gingerly taking a piece and stalking away.

Miroku stares at his back, wondering why, and then Kagome offers him a piece too and he takes it.

…

Miroku stares out over the fire, at Sango telling a story to Shippo about her and her family slaying a massive bear demon, with big hand gestures and scary voices.

He stares over to Rin, who showed up on the tails of Sesshoumaru's coat and was given a piece of paper too, as she dictates to the stern lord what to say from her place in his lap, as with elegant strokes he pins down the hopes of a little girl onto a piece of paper, soon to be destroyed.

He stares over to Kagome, who hasn't written a wish herself, but is instead content to help Kaede, whose hands have gotten too stiff with age too have delicate writing anymore, write her own.

Fleetingly, he wonders what everyone will wish for.

He stares down at the piece of pink paper in his hand, mockingly blank.

Only one thing can be written per person, Kagome said, so he doesn't know what to write, because no matter what it is, it won't cover enough.

...

He spies Inuyasha walking up to Kagome soon after, grumbling something, under his breath, a bit of pink dusting his cheeks and his ears plastered against his skull. Kagome smiles soothingly, and his ears relax a little, so whatever he said, it must have been sensitive, or embarrassing, or both.

She guides him over to a rock, and sits down next to him. He produces the piece of paper she gave him, and she reaches into her backpack for a red marker, and uncaps it.

He can't look away, even though he probably should, because now she places the marker in his hand, and wraps her hand around his, before saying something he can't hear. Inuyasha murmurs something to her, and she smiles again and starts to smoothly move his hand to create a mark on the paper.

She continues in this manner for a little while, before she finishes guiding him, and then she returns the cap and turns to place the marker back in her backpack. Inuyasha stands suddenly, and thanks her, brusquely, Miroku can tells because the wind carried it to him. She glances up, startled, taking in his ears, slightly back now, and the way his eyes won't meet hers, before nodding, and he can here her reply as it dances across the wind: anytime.

…

Later, when everyone is asleep but him and Kagome, he goes over to ask her, very seriously, why she brought the paper, why she told them to make wishes and if they really will come true.

She just laughs, and turns to him with wise blue eyes. "Everyone needs hope, Miroku-sama, even if it's just a faint wish on a paper boat."

…

He looks down at the paper in his hand, a little crumpled from the constant handling, before brushing back his sleeve and serenely sipping his brush into the ink well next to him. In the ornate, flowery script he uses on his sutras, he writes down his wish, before folding it up as Kagome taught them earlier, and meets the others by the banks of the river.

They all put the little pink vessels into the water, and watch as they float down the river, before being dragged down.

Shippo asks where they go, and Kagome tells him that all wishes go to whoever can grant them.

Miroku wonders where his will end up.

…

_I want to live._

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><p><strong>ANII: Yeah. Not sure where that came from, at all. I kind of like it though, even if it is pretty short. Eh, whatever. It's sweet!<strong>_  
><em>


	6. It Is

**ANI: Sorry for the long wait, my friends. Inspiration left me, then I left town. I hope this little bundle of joy makes up for it! Thank you again to all the kind reviewers, including the one who is, truly, anonymous, and the ever wonderful ShadowNala.**

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><p><strong>Title:<strong> It Is  
><strong>Author:<strong> seinakyou  
><strong>Theme:<strong> Set #1, Theme # 6 - Nostalgic  
><strong>Genre(s):<strong> Angst, Friendship, Horror  
>Characters: Miroku, Kagome, Inuyasha, Shippo, etc…<br>**Pairings:** Implied het, but interpret it however it is.  
><strong>Word Count:<strong> 709  
><strong>Rating:<strong> T  
><strong>Summary:<strong> It is everything he has lost and everything he stands to gain.

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><p>It's painful, and utterly trite, but his heart is breaking.<p>

It's raining today, but it's not like he cares because he got by without a pink umbrella for years before them, and he could always find better ways to get warm than by being next to someone.

It's raining, but he can't ignore it anymore.

It's cold. It's very cold for October, and he wonders why it's not snow falling, why instead the rain is pelting him, plastering his newly shorn hair to his face and making rivulets down his back, through the folds of fabric and soaking through to his shivering body, shivering because it's cold and because it's painful.

It's so painful.

It's not like he can't get by without them, he tells himself, but there's still an icy fist slowly squeezing him, a slowly burning coal right beneath his sternum, and he reaches a hand up to where his heart should be, clenching his hands into fists and making half-moon shaped cuts in his palms.

It's because he's shaking, and needs something to hold on to.

It's so incredibly confusing. It wasn't like this ever before, wasn't so hard to get by without a flash of hair by any colour and laughing eyes that get mad so easily, it wasn't as if he wasn't used to being alone, all alone, all the time.

It's not his fault, he keeps telling himself that, but yet he still doesn't believe it, never will.

It's his fault, it's all his fault, his faults, and the fault line between them won't grow or shrink, it'll stay exactly the same until he bridges the gap, and that won't be long.

It's the dirt, he decides, it's the massive amounts of dirt piling up in neat little mounds numbering five, five score and seven years but even that isn't right and no one will be able to correct him anymore.

It's a wail that finally pierces the silence, a tiny little keen of agony, and he looks around for where it's coming from before he realizes his mouth is open. A choke, a cough, a breath hastily taken and then he lets it all out, lets everything go.

It's hours, maybe days before he leaves the spot, covered in mud and tears and dirt beneath his finger nails from where he lay in front of them and cried, and his mouth is dry and his throat aches and he stumbles to stand up and scrapes his knees against cold rock but that doesn't hurt nearly as much as the fact that all of him and all of his hope and his happiness and his future lies silent and unfeeling beneath his feet, five shallow graves that hold friendship and caring and camaraderie and romance and love in so many different forms.

It's not a tear that creeps out, he tells himself, staggering away from the site, leaning on his broken staff for support, it's not like I'm crying, but he bites his lip and steps on the leg being eaten away by miasma away from the torment and all the memories he's trying to burn and away from them all. His arm burns from digging, from the cuts along it and the gash on his left shoulder that goes straight to the broken bone beneath it. His stomach churns, and he throws up, but he barely even notices because he's on the ground again and his vision is blurring. Not crying, not crying, not crying…

It's not like he doesn't try to get up, he just falls over, onto his back into a hole and stares up at the blurry sky through eyes that can't see very well any more. His head aches, and his heart aches, and the agony is overwhelming him and it's not just metaphorical.

It's the stars that are the last things he sees, but he can actually see the constellations now, now that they're just streaks of light in the sky joining together. With a rasping breath, he shudders, and the pain stops.

It's over.

It's just beginning.

It's a flash of hair and eyes sparkling with mirth, and it's catching a glimpse before catching an eyeful and an earful and getting tackled and hugged and celebrated.

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><p><strong>ANII: Isn't that cheerful? Share your thoughts, your ideas, your requests. All you have to do is press that little button that says 'Review!'<strong>


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